Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks following an introduction of the iPhone 5 in San Francisco on Sept. 12. / Eric Risberg, AP

by Scott Martin, USA TODAY

by Scott Martin, USA TODAY

Apple CEO Tim Cook is mapping a new image for the company -- one of a responsible corporate giant that makes mistakes -- in an about-face from the tone formerly set by co-founder Steve Jobs.

Since the launch of Apple Maps, the company has come under fire for its half-baked directions. A map app is one of a smartphone's most vital utilities next to the basic phone function.

"With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better," Cook said Friday in a statement.

The mea culpa is but the latest example of a change of tack from the late Jobs. Under Cook, Apple -- long seen as a seller of perfected products -- is clearly putting out both products in progress, such as Siri, and messages on their shortcomings.

That's a stark contrast to what was known as Jobs' "reality distortion field" -- an ability to twist and turn the truth in strokes of marketing manipulation. The iconic CEO resisted, for example, acknowledging problems with the iPhone 4's antenna when reports surfaced of reception issues. But Jobs also was famously intolerant of bad products.

"Steve Jobs defined a clear customer experience strategy for Apple: We will provide the most incredible possible experience and we will command a premium price for it," says Forrester analyst Kerry Bodine, adding Apple loyalists have come to expect this and "now, Apple has let them down."

Facing consumer backlash over its iPhone 4 antenna, Apple then took different posturing: "We have gone back to our labs and retested everything, and the results are the same -- the iPhone 4's wireless performance is the best we have ever shipped."

The latest woes could be due to competition. Speculation persists that Google wouldn't license turn-by-turn maps directions to Apple. That left the company no choice but to do its own maps app to stay competitive, even it if meant launching a work-in-progress.

Also, Apple has clearly let down many with its awkward Siri voice assistant released with the iPhone 4S.

All of this suggests Apple is moving quickly to compete with Google on the latest and greatest features. But it also raises questions about the purveyor of premium devices as it ages.

Steve Jobs brought Apple from a niche company with a cult following to a mainstream giant with a new role, says Vivek Wadhwa, a fellow at Stanford University. "With this come many responsibilities-like listening to customers and taking responsibility for their satisfaction. This is exactly what Cook is doing."